Never Stray From the Path
by The Redd Cloak
Summary: Ciel has been warned of those who stray off the path, but what haunts him is not what is in the woods, but the story behind it all, and the man who goes along with it. Better Summary inside. Seb.xCiel, ClaudexAlois
1. The Path

**Title: **Never Stray From the Path**  
**

**Rating: M **

**Pairings: **SebastianxCiel, ClaudexAlois, maybe others. **  
**

**Description: **Ciel was told never to stray from the past, but he is compelled to enter the forest and find out what had happened to the boy draped in the red cloak. What he finds is not only the truth, but a journey filled with loss, love, and his own 'wolves' that won't ever escape him.**  
**

**Warnings: **None this chapter :)**  
**

**Author's Note: **Thank you so much for clicking on this! This is my FIRST Black Butler story, and I made a new user since I wanted a fresh new start. :) I know the start might be a bit boring, but I promise it will pick up very soon.

Sorry for spelling and grammar mistakes. I have no beta. :c I need a beta. XD

_I do not own Black Butler :c_

* * *

** CHAPTER ONE:  
**

**the _p a t h_ . . .  
**

If it was one thing that Ciel should never do, it was to stray off the path. It was the path Ciel had to take in order to make it to his uncle's house, a house that laid beyond the town's limit. Although to many, it seemed very alluring to just take a peek, but Ciel had no problem with wanting to obey the one single rule his parents had given him.

One foot off the path, and it was over.

Many had ventured into the woods that stood so silently to the sides, and many have never seen the light of day again or of the village of Faustus. The path was a curse that caused so many to abandon their humble homes and travel elsewhere, anywhere without a path like this one.

The Phantomhives are one of the last families to stay in the village of Faustus. This was mostly due to the fact of Rachel's love of the house, and Vincent's reluctance to move to a city. The couple didn't mind the overwhelming privacy nor the horror of the woods that surrounds them. It made for an interesting and paranoid life

The path that had been the downfall for some was a path bathed in sunlight. The grass implanted on the sides blew with the gentle wind. The path had appeared normal, except for the woods that started three feet from the edge, so thick it was impossible to see more then 100 feet on a good day.

It was a wonder why any child or villager choose to venture into the deep dark woods. Some suggested it displayed their moral truth and darkness of heart, and others were convinced that the devil had tricked them into its trap. A trap that worked very well, considering it was a path that one could not avoid if they wanted to get somewhere.

There were many theories of what exactly happened in that forest once you went inside. One farmer suggested that it showed you your greatest fear, and once you went in, it was nearly impossible to get back to the path, that it blew away with the wind, and you were stuck alone with your fears until you went mad.

A mother of two had a theory that there was a pack of werewolves in the forest, who preyed on little children who dared to walk alone, or naive villages who believed they were invincible. This theory was disregarded as silly. Who could ever believe in werewolves?

But, there was no way to know what could have happened. Maybe one of these theories are true, because who would go search for the answers?

Nobody ever made a move to search the forest, not after the first time a search party was sent.

The first search party to ever enter the forest was the last, and it occurred after the very first victim was declared, which happened 2 years after the town had been first created, after the land was claimed from another town. Most of the land had never put it into any use because, at the time, it was difficult to get funds to clear the land of trees and create houses. Once some of the land was cleared, many settled into the area, although the forest was still the majority of Faustus.

The search party was said to have kept records of what exactly was found, but after years and years of the entire village being scared of the woods, it had disappeared with the moving legacies.

The older villagers, who had grown up with their parents caution and warnings, swore that the records mentioned many strange things.

It was said that old strange trinkets littered the ground from children that may have once played there, rundown decrypted cars with no tires, tents with holes torn on the top, and reports of shadows that danced around, like there was something waiting in the forest for them.

Three of the party members did not come back.

But perhaps it was fate that had not been so kind to that town. The first victim had been as shocking as the last victim, all of them had been so young and naive. It was a scornful curse. The town became a place of gloom and doom, and all those who had children had begun to move.

The Phantomhives were a rare breed. The couple was not as bothered by the woods compared to their past neighbors, but they had always been weary of the safety their only child, a boy by the name of Ciel.

Now Ciel was a bright boy with a booming amount of potential, but he was rather weak and un-trusting of those around him, which was a good trait to have when one is faced with the temptation of the woods. Ciel was probably one of the safer cases around the town.

Ciel had faced the path, and it had been merciful, but who could say when nobody knew exactly what happened?

Ciel had been blinded and hurt during a day where he only remembered how grey it had been. The rest blurred into his head like the smoke from fire into the deep dark night, but he remembered it was like the absence of all color, but one, grey. Whether or not it had because of the ultimate shock of being badly injured was up to speculation.

That day he had been escorted through the path when an accident had happened.

The man who had helped him through that sunny path had been injured too, but not quite like Ciel who had a permanent blind eye and a limp. The body of his possible savior had never been recovered, but Ciel had been the least effected by the loss of the worker, not even his name graced his head anymore.

Some villagers had criticized that it probably had been their servant that had attacked the boy and escaped through the forest, but Rachel and Vincent had fought against that claim.

_'He had been a good man'_ Vincent would promise _'A very good man, indeed'_.

But no memory of the man was given to Ciel. The only moment he clearly remembered on that day had been the moment he had appeared, alone, at the door to his Uncle's house, and the absence of color, That memory would never leave his head.

It was like the world had **stopped** and **dulled**.

It was no wonder that Ciel had become less of a child and more of a forced adult, a sad thought that kept his parents from ever punishing the boy whenever he had done wrong.

It was Ciel who was left to his own devices and managed to grow into a moderately healthy 12 year old. Although most would think a child would have been utterly destroyed by that event, Ciel had only the bitter aftertaste of the situation. Since he had no recollection of the event, the worst thing he had to deal with is the fact that he was blind and had a limp.

Perhaps if he had been in a regular school with boys and girls Ciel might have been ostracized, but in the middle of nowhere he was the pride and joy of Rachel, Vincent, and of all the workers in their large abode. Life was okay. It was normal for the young boy.

Everyday Vincent went out to the city for his job, Rachel puttered around the garden and sometimes even ventured with her husband in order to shop, and the servants spent their day with the child. Everyday was a bit like the last.

Meyrin was a oddly clumsy maid, Finny was a lively gardener, and Tanaka was a old, but friendly, butler who handled very little in the house, but Ciel was content with his 'friends' (Their words, not Ciel's). Some days Ciel would help his mother out with the watering of the flowers, and other days he read books and wrote stories about things that interested him. Ciel also liked to stroll around the house, playing games with the servants if there were free from any chores.

Ciel hated to admit it, but the games he played were rather enjoyable, even the juvenile game of Hide and Seek. Ciel also found the best hiding spots. Nobody ever bothered to look in the far corner of the servant quarters, as the room that hadn't been used in years. The dust that collected over that time had been suffocating, but Ciel couldn't help but feel safe in that quiet living space. It was his favorite room.

Today was not like those other days though, today was the first day Ciel had been given an assignment. Take the first aid supplies to his Uncle, as he was sick. His Aunt, Madam Red, was waiting for his arrival and staying with his uncle temporarily to see that he was getting better. The old geezer was bordering on insane.

Although he didn't quite enjoy his uncle, he was more then willing to run the supplies down. Ciel never got to get out. The only place he went was to the gardens, but beyond that was a rarity. Ciel hated the town, and the city. The people would only stare at his shame, his blind eye and his leg brace. The path was the only option, and today he would get to breathe in new air.

Ciel had not traveled this path since that faithful day, but the thought of taking it again had not bothered the young soul. He would show his parents that he was not tainted by it, and that he could do what any normal boy his age could.

As the morning light set out, Ciel had dressed in his best attire, blues of the bluest, and golds that laced around his shirts and pants, and he looked marvelous. Good enough to eat.

Just like the others.

* * *

Please review and tell me what you think!

Feel free to suggest stuff

I would love your feedback, just don't be too harsh, haha

I hope to update really soon.

_- The Redd Cloak_


	2. Alois: The Story of the Wolf and His Doe

**Title: **Never Stray From the Path**  
**

**Rating: M **

**Pairings: **SebastianxCiel, ClaudexAlois, maybe others. **  
**

**Description: **Ciel was told never to stray from the past, but he is compelled to enter the forest and find out what had happened to the boy draped in the red cloak. What he finds is not only the truth, but a journey filled with loss, love, and his own 'wolves' that won't ever escape him.**  
**

**Warnings: **Slight gore, suggestive themes**  
**

**Author's Note: **Yay! Second chapter. It is much longer then the first. I know the first few chapters might be boring, but I'm getting there! I promise! Please review and favorite. :3 I am thinking of making the update day Sundayish? I don't know, haha.

Sorry for spelling and grammar mistakes. I have no beta. Awww.

_I do not own Black Butler/characters, inspired by the game 'The Path'  
_

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO: **

**Alois:** thestoryofthewolfandhisdoe

"Are you sure he is ready?" Rachel had pinched her child's cheek with her thumb and pointer finger. Ciel had always been her baby boy, and the thought of throwing him to the wolves, perhaps literally, was terrifying. Had 12 years already gone by their eyes? When had this small gift of life begin to decay with a mature bitterness?

"Now, now. You know there hasn't been any activity at all in the last two years. We have nothing to worry about." Vincent comforted, wrapping one arm around his wife, squeezing slightly. Vincent had been pushing Rachel to let their son spread his wings for a while. "He is old enough to defend himself."

"No straying from the-"

"Path, mother. I know, I know." Ciel had folded his arms and confidently looked up at his slightly tearful mother.

"Oh, why can't we just send Finny again?" She bellowed.

"He's busy, I assure you I can do it." Ciel had clenched his teeth, he wanted to do this badly. Finny had once gushed about the sights, of the sunny path. Ciel wanted to see it for himself. Do something for himself that no others could do.

The path was a full 10 feet wide, cut out from the soil and earth. It was also outlined with rusty colored bricks, an addition that was made quite recently to help identify it faster and easier when it was dark outside. The path made it's way through all of the town, twisting and turning, but at the very end, the path split into two.

One path lead down a step hill that came to a large mansion, which hasn't been in use since it's past owner had passed away, a woman by the name Angela, relative of a big wig from the time of when the town had just gotten built, the Trancy head, who was also long gone.

The house sat so quietly and out of the way from the rest of the town, the path had even been blocked from any access after the road had grown out of shape from harsh winters and hot summers, and there was simply no money to keep that part of the path all cut and clean.

The other path lead to a tiny house the Phantomhives knew quite well.

The Undertaker was the only man in town to have the job of taking care of the dead, but he was also brother in law to Vincent Phantomhive. Unfortunately, his sister had died of cancer and death had collected her soul. But still the Undertaker lived in the house, alone. That is, unless Madam Red had graced his presence, which was rather often with his old age.

With that old age had come a very odd personality development, but probably always possessed, but now it was getting even worse. His babbling about the town history, legends and what he thought was in the woods was rather repetitive and boring, but it sure beat staying inside, at least for Ciel.

"Perhaps, for extra warning, we could share the story?" Vincent suggested, but the idea seemed to only put even more stress on his dutiful wife.

"No! He is surely not old enough for that! For gosh sake's, that story just about scared the wits out of me when I was young."

"I'm not a child anymore!" Ciel argued back, and the two just stared at their only son. Ciel really had passed childhood before his time, and before their very own eyes. What a shame.

"The point is to scare them, you know." Vincent added.

"Tell it, tell it." Rachel collapsed onto the patio chair and sighed. The build up to the story was rather great and Ciel was dying to know now.

"Son, you must know the story of the boy who strayed from the path." Ciel only groaned at the idea.

"Father, I am sure I've heard it before. Was it the neighbor way back when? Meyrin slipped that one. Or the farmer who accidentally ran his horse into the line of the forest only to come back shaking like a leaf? Don't think you can scare me."

"No, this story is about a boy just like you." Vincent got on his knee in front of his boy and stared intently at him.

"Oh, well then it must be true." Ciel muttered sarcastically.

"It is the tale of the Boy In Red, and the Trancy Family."

No such tale was as much a tragedy, as the tale of the Boy In Red, and the fate that befell him.

* * *

_There was a time when the path was laid with pride and praise._

_It was also a time where religion ruled over every thought of every villager, and there was no greater evil then the thought of a werewolf preying on children, as animals were a big threat to small towns like theirs._

_And the town had loved the path, as strongly as they hated the woods that went along with it. The town grew legends around it. Tales of witches, creeps with motives, and most of all werewolves. The town had developed a irrational and deathly fear of werewolves, which was normal around the time the town was built. The wilderness was cold and angry, and it was hard to defend such a small town from any sort of attack._

_The path was a ultimately a necessity though. Each villager would use it everyday to travel into town and out, but no more then the boy who had been adorned in red. A boy who had been known by very many names along the years, but only one was his true name. Alois._

_And Alois was no poor soul._

_With eyes as blue as the sea, and hair as gold as the sun. His playful nature and true smile was what others knew him for. He was the town sweet heart. Although Alois loved his town just like it loved him, Alois very much wanted to spread his wings and go beyond the limits of what Faustus could ever give him, even though he was only at the tender age of 15 and a half. He was all he dreamed about._

_He was also known as the boy who cared for his dear grandfather and mother._

_Everyday, without fail, Alois would come skipping down the path dressed in his red hood with a new treat for his beloved extended family made by his windowed mother and himself._

_The red cloak Alois had been known for had been a gift from his grandfather, a withered man who had questionable motives, but that was another story entirely._

_The Trancy house was well known for its influence over the town, but more so for its devotion to religion, and they were very fond of practicing regularly._

_'This will allow everyone to see you, the color of blood will surely be seen by all eyes." He'd pat his grandson on the head. "No relative of mine will ever travel off the path. Those beasts will surely be the end of you, my boy, whether you come back or not."_

_He'd warn his grandson with such vigor each visit. Insisting the boy would surely perish if he ever set one toe out of bounds. The path was safe, and as long as Alois stayed on the path, he was safe too._

_"Let this ruby cape be a warning to all predators. You are a Trancy, and we do not allow any weakness."_

_And with that, Alois had gladly taken the gift and was never again seen without it, until the day he had traveled off the path. After that day, the red cloak was never ever seen again. That was also the last day Alois was ever seen too._

_That day Alois had not shown up at the time he always had, everyday. Since it had been the first day of winter, and the cold and wind brought rain and snow at full force, the elderly couple assumed it had delayed the young lad, perhaps the weather had even canceled the entire trip that day, but then again he might show up soon enough. And he did._

_Was it really Alois that arrived though? Or a ghost of the boy who strayed off the path?_

_Alois had stumbled along the road like a dead man walking, completely in silence until he had seen his destination, and erupted into a fit of screams and moans that could wake the dead and shake the heart of any angel who could be bothered to look upon the town of Faustus that day. The couple had met their boy halfway down the path, asking what on earth had happened. But no straight answer would meet their questions, Alois would only answer with sobs and yelps. Alois had withered like a flower on a dry day._

_It had taken minutes until he finally had a deep breathe and begun his story, but to the elderly couple it felt like months._

_Alois had come across a man, or what he thought was a man._

_A man with golden eyes, he said, a man with the most brilliant eyes he'd ever seen. Alois just had to speak to him._

_His ravaged body had shivered under the cold weather and he could no longer bear the weight of his own body. His crumbling form met with the dirty earth, but he was forced to continue his story._

_The man had entranced him to step off the path, simply by meeting his eyes._

_The devil had tempted the willing doe._

_'Sir, slow down!' He'd say, 'I must ask you to slow down.'_

_The man had lead him deep into the forest, so deep Alois could no longer see the path he knew he had to desperately stay on._

_'I need to go back', he pleaded, 'I must go visit my grandfather and mother', more with himself then with the man._

_No words were met with his pleadings, and they traveled deeper and deeper, but Alois did not turn back._

_How Alois ever made it back to the house was a mystery to all those who had seen his condition._

_Wounds had littered his body, dried blood had stuck to the side of his neck and his neckline. He held his left arm toward himself, broken into pieces. His clothes were town to shreds, parts of it even gone, but the worst of it was not any of that. His red cloak no longer sat around his shoulders, protecting him from the evil that paraded in the forest, it was no where in sight. In fact, his clothes were torn from his body, as if in a hurry, and the downcast look upon his face could not describe his feelings._

_But those wounds were nothing compared to what his grandfather spied on his leg._

_A gash that could have been mistaken as a bite wound._

_Alois was infected._

_The realization had struck the young man, and he fled in order to escape the wrath of his family, the people who wanted to help him the most. Alois had brought shame upon his family, and he would have to pay in their hands or his. Everyone knew what happens to those who are infected. They turn into a dog of sin._

_Whatever happened after Alois, nobody really knows. Because the only person who would know had disappeared, and the only thing ever found again of him were small pieces of his body, torn apart in bloody carnage, and that was Alois. It was as if the monster who caught the little bird had played with his food. A foot, a finger, a terrible fate._

_The search party that had been sent out by his loved ones had come up with little to nothing, not even one scrap of evidence to explain his death other then it being an attack. He had disappeared off the face of the earth, only to appear again in pieces. The only thing left were the clues that nobody could touch, because they all knew one thing about the wolves. The beasts that paraded as men until it was time to eat their meal._

_If the bones of a infected were gathered once again, it's sin and evil will intertwine with the town, and eat their children with glee._

_A monster upon monsters._

_It was absolutely forbidden to even touch one bone of the cursed dead._

_When one strayed off the path with that knowledge, they have no excuse, no burial either. His soul was to be damned among the pines and needles._

_Soon after the search party had come back from the journey, missing three of its members, it had been a hallow reunion. The mystery of what exactly happened to the cheerful child had not been uncovered, but instead clouded in more darkness._

_A child so bright and naive had been taken so unfairly, but it was in a way that the town could not forgive._

_A week after the search party members starting to fall to their own deaths, all laid out with their insides on the outsides, perhaps an act of revenge. The first on the list was the Trancy head, who was the leader of the search party, but oddly enough his wife had been spared from any kind of injury._

_It was then when it was banned to travel anywhere near the forest, and those who would have been warned._

_Warned by the boy in the red cloak._

_Soon, the Trancy manor fell into despair. Not only had Alois been cursed, but his family. Shortly after her husband died, the grandmother had fallen ill, and then passed with eerie silence. The house was given to a lovely Angela, white as the snow, but no more lovelier then her kin that fell so suddenly. With no ability to marry or have children, the family's population started to collaspe._

_The town by then was quietly shunning the Trancy family and all those who associated with them openly, and the town grew with tension. Nobody wanted to know a Trancy anymore. The shame that the boy brought, the honesty of his betrayal to his family and town, was a huge ugly scar upon their history. He had broken a rule so sacred, and now his family had to pay for it._

_The line died with Angela's generation, who bore no sons and daughters. Ash, Angela's brother, had also not bothered to carry down the line. Both died during one cold winter season._

_All through the cold and uneventful years that ran through the town never let them forget about Alois. Some say he haunts the woods, and you can see him stalk the edges if you focus on them for long enough, others promise that his body had been given a proper burial and nobody had anything to worry about._

_A few even say he didn't exist, and was an example to set for the generations ahead to stay on the path, but nobody can really say for sure._

_That is, unless they've wondered into the forest themselves._

_But nobody is stupid enough to do that, right?_

* * *

Ciel pushed under the beg with the heel of his hands. His legs stuck out awkwardly from the bed, and Ciel huffed as he tried to fit himself within the enclosed space.

Currently, there was a game of hide and seek going on and Ciel was determined to waste as much time as he could, because it was three hours before he would be heading off, and the excitement smothered him.

It felt a bit silly to Ciel that he still played these childish games, but it became a balance between him and the staff. He didn't particularly like the game, but it gave him time to explore and the staff sure liked the time off from doing boring tasks. Finny always hid in the garden, Tanaka liked to use closets, and Meyrin was a fan of hiding under dinning room tables.

The room he was in was dressed in a creamy white, the carpet a shy sandy dull color, but it smelled fresh and clean, despite the dust that ghosted over the dressers and lamps. Ciel had been trying to keep the dust from collecting, but he always lost patience for such chores.

Down the hall in the Servant's Hall was where he resided, in an old room nobody had occupied since a few years back. Something had pulled Ciel to spend his time here, and when he was between lessons and other time wasting activities, he came here to think and be alone.

All of the other servants avoided this room, most likely because it was the memento of a coworker that had left long ago. What a room to waste, but that meant it was all Ciel's.

From under the bed, Ciel moved the bed skirt from his view and stared at the open window across the room, which allowed the breeze to gently rock the transparent curtains from side to side. Summer was always such a nice season for the town of Faustus. It was a lovely sight for him to intake.

And he would have thought it more lovely if his leg hadn't grown so stiff and sore from being curled up against his body, a disadvantage of the damage it had done during that incident long ago.

The leg gave him a mild limp, but got progressively worse when he did strenuous activities, such as running and leaping. It made a lot of things hard to do. Walking at all was a slight miracle, as the doctor gave the possibility of never being able to walk on it again, but Ciel was a tough boy, and he had been determined, and stubborn enough, to get himself back on his feet.

And soon with gentle care the leg became better, but not perfect. Scars were left, bones weren't entirely aligned, and it hindered his physical abilities, but it was better then nothing.

But, today Ciel was not there in the room just for the sake of the game of hide and seek, or it being his favorite spot. It was because of his thoughts. The story his father so lovingly told him had not gone in one ear and out the other, but cluttered his thought process like a piece of gum in one's hair.

It had molded many emotions in his head. Should he feel sad for the boy? Heartbroken? Sympathetic? Should Ciel try to justification and give a conclusion as to why such bag things happen to 'good' or even 'bad' people.

Had the story about Alois been true?

The body was rotting away with no hope in ever really getting any type of closure. Doomed to walk the earth for a mistake he made as a child.

His hands hovered over the bed springs, why was metal always so cold, even when the weather is so nice and warm? Why were the shadows so cool and dark?

Why was the story getting to him this badly?

"Ciel." The voice was only slightly above a mumble to his ears, but it caught it.

It was time to get ready, get ready for the path.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading! Don't forget to review, it makes me write faster. XD

Hope you liked it. **SEBASTIAN** is entering soon, I promise.

Fa la la.

_- The Redd Cloak_


	3. On the Path: The First Trip

**Title: **Never Stray From the Path**  
**

**Rating: M **

**Pairings: **SebastianxCiel, ClaudexAlois, maybe others. **  
**

**Description: **Ciel was told never to stray from the past, but he is compelled to enter the forest and find out what had happened to the boy draped in the red cloak. What he finds is not only the truth, but a journey filled with loss, love, and his own 'wolves' that won't ever escape him.**  
**

**Warnings: **Swearing, OOCness**  
**

**Author's Note: **Fuck yea, possible Sebastian sighting? You know it, gurl. Please review, it inspires me ;)

Sorry for spelling and grammar mistakes. I have no beta. Pfft, I'm lonely!

_I do not own Black Butler/characters, inspired by the game 'The Path'  
_

* * *

**Chapter Three: **

_The Path: The First Trip_

"Goodbye, Ciel, goodbye!" His mother waved from the door, a grand smile of her face. The talk with his father must have changed her mind about worrying over Ciel and the long walk he had to make in order to make it to his Uncle's house. The basket his fingers wrapped around was filled with small goodies and treats specifically made for his uncle and Madam Red, who graciously offered to stay with him.

Which his uncle objected very clearly, but no matter.

The house slowly disappeared as he trudged on. Luckily, his leg so far has not been giving him too much of a problem. His weight was mostly on the walking stick his mother offered him as a parting gift, so he believed the trip wouldn't be too much strain on his leg.

His mother was a darling woman, with chocolate eyes and love filled hugs. Ciel would never directly disobey her orders, and he had promised to keep her worries just a horrible fantasy, and not a reality.

He could already picture his mother weeping for him, for his memory, all because of his curiosity. Everybody knew that curiosity killed the cat. Ciel was smart enough to not want to take that risk. Why had others? Danger is danger, and without any strength or speed, Ciel wouldn't last very long.

And so he set off on his first, but hopefully not the last adventure down the path. If he came back safe and sound, his parents would most likely allow him to do this more often.

The fresh air Ciel breathed in made him hum with a happy tune. It felt so nice to be let off the leash, to feel like a normal boy who had to do normal chores for his parents. Since nobody was around, he could be anybody he wanted. Right now, he might be a limping boy with a basket, but he could be an earl with an important task to do, or an army general with the secret plans, the world resting on his shoulders.

It was all so exciting.

The only thing missing was the people. The sidekick that was friendly and charming, or the villain who tried to take over the world.

Normally people his age did go out to socialize, but nobody in the town was around Ciel's age, let alone willing to at least carry on an intellectual conversation. Ciel didn't exactly like people, but it would have been a new experience to try to make friends, make enemies, and relationships, or anything in-between.

After all, his birthday was coming up, and didn't have many to celebrate it with. A week after tomorrow he would be at the age of 13, a legal teenager. Ciel could already taste the sweet cake on his tongue, and could imagination the gifts his parents went into town to buy. Last year he had gotten many different things. Books with interesting characters and wild plots, seeds to grow, clothes to wear, a new violin.

Oh, the Violin. His greatest possession. Everyday he would play it with determination, his fingers no longer clumsy from when he first started. Ciel lost himself within his melodies, but never for longer. The moment he hit a sour note was the second he put it down, no longer able to stand playing anymore, it was like he had let somebody else down by messing up the song. It both irritated and troubled him.

Of course, his birthday also meant new responsibility, which could mean that Ciel could travel farther and more often away from the house. The city was a cold and lifeless place, but anything was better then the walls within his home. Anything was better then the boring life he led now.

Was Alois ever like Ciel?

-Woah, where did that thought come from?- Ciel asked himself. After trying to push the subject out of his head, Ciel couldn't stop thinking of Alois and his cruel demise. He could practically picture the blonde and blue eyed boy, probably annoying as hell, being lost in the forest. Crying for the stranger to take him back, but then he willingly following him.

Why would somebody trust strangers anyways? Strangers could be anybody, they could be murderers and rapists, and yet Alois went with him anyways, and it had been his downfall. The very last thing Alois ever got to do was go off the path.

Was it because he was new and exciting?

But Ciel shouldn't think about that right now, but instead of traveling down the path. The path was as he thought, crisp and clean, yet off. It was like a false peace, a false sunny appearance.

That was when Ciel stopped and looked into the depths of the woods, which stared back at him.

The woods from where he was standing were silent, no birds, no deer, no anything. The wind rocked the trees slightly back and forth, but they made no groans or moans, just quietly allowed mother earth to move them. Why was it so quiet-

Oh.

It was not quiet. Ciel's ears finally picked up a sound, so far away, but it was there. It sounded like...A violin. Yes, a violin! Ciel could tell that sound from anywhere, it must be, but that was impossible. The forest stretched on for miles, so whoever was playing the instrument was inside the forest.

That's silly! What a stupid thought. Of course nobody was in there. It was his imagination, his mind playing tricks on him.

The violin only got louder though, the melody was alluring and complex, it squeezed his heartstrings. The melody was grave and sad like at any moment something bad was going to happen. Perhaps Ciel should go look for the mysterious-

"You shouldn't do that, boy." Ciel swirled around to see a man. It had shocked him out of his trance, and he moved his foot away from the edge of the path. He was just about to step into the forest.

The man was about 10 feet away from him, face hidden in the shadow he created, and dressed in black. Not the black a sleek cat would have, or the black a nice leather jacket would contain, but the black of a dark night, a black absence of all color. The long jacket wrapped around his fancy suit, one that he supposed a wealthy man would wear. His eyes almost downcast, his attention not even toward the boy but far off into the distance, as if he was guilty, but his voice as low as a string bass. What beauty.

"And who are you to give me orders?" Ciel snapped back at the stranger. He may be a week boy, but who said he couldn't have a silver and sharp tongue?

The man's hands were stuffed into his pockets, his hair ruffled from the wind. All in all, he was an attractive male, but Ciel did not recognize him, and he had seen most of the town's citizen's population in his 12 years.

"Just a friend, I suppose." The male answered. "I just wanted to help."

"I hardly know you." Ciel growled back at him, clutching the cane and basket close to his heart. "You can't offer me any help I would be interested in."

"Take my hand." He offered, extending his pale and almost delicate fingers toward him, the hand reminded him of a stone statue. "I will show you the way." Although the offer was tempting, but to Ciel it really wasn't, he knew he had to pass on his offer. Who would trust a stranger anyways?

"I don't even know your name."

"Does help really need a name?" A smirk appeared on his lips.

"To me? Yes, yes they do." Ciel responded. "And even if you did give your name-"

"Why don't you choose it for me?" The stranger asked, the wind picked up slightly. "Pick a name for me, who would know or care if it was right or not?"

"I'd rather not." Ciel clenched his teeth together. "And I would know it would be wrong, and I would care." Ciel turned his back to the stranger, as if to continue down the path. "Perhaps I should name you after my old dog Sebastian." He laughed. "Are you a dog too?"

"I am, but a loyal follower." Ciel stopped laughing and stared intently.

"I wouldn't accept your help if it was the one thing that could save me, I want to take care of myself-"

The stranger laughed He was mocking Ciel.

"Don't you want an adventure you'd never forget?"

As Ciel turned to maim, as he wished he could, the stranger. He was met with a lonely sight. No longer did the man dressed in black stand there with confidence, just an empty space where he had stood. His eyes searched the area for which he came from, but found nothing.

Thus, Ciel went on his way. Through the wicked path, and to his Uncle's house. It didn't take long until he caught sight of the house not too far ahead of him at this point. From here, he could also see a familiar face.

"Ciel!" A man put down his axe before raising his arm to wave, and Ciel waved back to the man.

"Bard! What are you doing here?" Ciel asked, excited. The times he's seen Bard in the last couple years had been less then 10 times. He was a muscular man, always with a cigarette in his parted lips and he was a terrible cook, but a good huntsman, or woodsman. Whatever his title was, Bard was good at it. He organized groups to go out of town to hunt, and from what Ciel heard, it was great fun and Bard was very talented.

Bard was also married to Meyrin, and what a cute couple they made too. He often showered her with awkward compliments, and well meaning gifts, but he was an average man who didn't know what he was doing, but it was the effort he made that made ladies around the town swoon. Even Finny once admitted he'd gladly be a female if a guy like Bard swooped him off his feet.

"Old man hired me to cut down some trees." He smiled, and swung around the axe as Ciel crept closer, and Ciel prepared to duck. If he was anything like Meyrin, Bard was going to have an accident and Ciel would like to keep his head.

"Making money for the honey?" Ciel teased, finally getting in close range of the huntsman and set down his basket.

"Well, who could turn down such a proposal?" Bard rolled up his sleeves and began gathering the wood he had cut down. "I bet this winter is going to be a bitter one." Which only made Ciel roll his eyes.

Whenever somebody asked about the upcoming winter season, it was always the same reply of 'I bet it will be a bitter one' because it always was.

Each winter always seemed colder then the last. More snow came down, less sunlight, and it made for a miserable couple of months. That was why Ciel always fancied summer and the beginning of fall. So warm and nice.

"Bard has anybody new moved to town?" Ciel asked innocently, but was only meant with a bewildered look.

"Why would anybody move here? We're all trying to move out!" Bard laughed at himself, but it was true. Most only stayed here for the privacy and lack of funds to go elsewhere.

"Well, I saw a man." Ciel told Bard, who immediately stopped stacking the wood.

"Ciel, don't say that to your uncle." He quietly muttered.

"Why not-?"

"Don't tell anybody about that man, alright? Don't go near_ it_, don't talk to it. It never happened. Got it?" His tone was cold and relentless, and Ciel looked away. "Nothing good comes from rumors."

"It? It was-"

"_Nothing_, Ciel. Drop it. Whatever you saw, it can't be anything good." Bard turned back to his work, and silence filled the air. Ciel stared at the Huntsman for a few seconds and muttering a half meant apology before giving up and heading up to his Uncle's front door, and finally slipping in.

"Uncle, uh...Undertaker. Where are you?" The floorboards creaked under his weight. Damn this house.

"Ciel!" A woman all in red rushed through the threshold of the kitchen and wrapped her arms around the boy, who groaned.

"Madam Red, what a nice surprise." He gasped. "But your grip is awfully tight."

"Forgive me! Oh dear me, I've hurt my dear Ciel. How is Rachel, won't you tell me?" She smiled and led him by his collar to the kitchen, where tea and biscuits sat. His basket and cane were taken and put on the table beside him. Madam Red and her hospitality. It was a force to be reckoned with.

"Fine I suppose. Did you ever get the letters she sent?" Ciel rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Ah, yes I did. I should be visiting soon. I've got news" And before Ciel knew it, Madam Red's hand was shoved into his face. "Marriage!"

In all the time Ciel has known Madam Red he had never once thought of her getting a husband. Not because Madam Red suffered from a terrible personality, or was unattractive, it was because of how independent she made herself after the news of being unable to carry her baby. She had sworn off men, after the incident of being dumped because of that fact.

"Surely you're kidding?" Ciel slowly responded.

"Heaven forbid! No, I found a man Ciel, and his name is Grell." Madam Red pulled up a seat and sipped on her tea. "He's an odd man, I admit, but he adores me you know." Another sip of tea.

"But aren't you a little apprehensive?" Ciel asked.

"Love is love Ciel, and once you find somebody who truly love you, for you, keep them. It doesn't matter what their gender is, how they look, or whether or not they are more feminine then you." Madam Red paused. "If you love somebody, and they love you back, don't let anything keep the two of you apart."

"I don't know how I feel about that advice. Aren't you supposed to be practical?"

"Nobody is practical when it comes to love, my dear, and you will know that one day. Perhaps sooner then you think." She hummed and looked down at the table. "I'm surprised you haven't Ciel. You were once such a sunny boy, you will make somebody happy one day." Madam Red studied Ciel. "Not that you're not a fine boy now." she added.

"Well, thanks." Ciel sarcastically replied.

"What's going on here?" His uncle entered the room. His uncle was a very odd fellow. Long white hair and always had this drab dark grey cloth on. His mother Rachel always complained that he should try to put some color in his wardrobe, it would help brighten up the house.

"Undertaker, me and Ciel were just having a conversation." Madam Red explained. "He's all yours, I should be going through that basket of yours." and with that, Ciel's basket was plunked from the table and disappeared from behind the door that most likely led to the dinning room.

"Heh, heh, how was the path? My dear Ciel, my sweet boy." If anybody else had said that to him, Ciel would have assumed they were mocking him, but with the Undertaker you never really knew.

"Fine." He responded right away, not meeting his uncle's eyes.

"Ah, did you meet Bard before coming in?" The question was innocent, but Ciel knew the Undertaker was a bright man, he could see through a lie.

"Undertaker, uh, Uncle. Have you ever...Met anybody on the path?" Ciel leaned on the table, and studied the Undertaker, whose chair creaked under his moving weight.

"Well, I...I believe we all know the rule. Never talk to strangers." He answered, dodging the question, and before Ciel could badger him he added "Ciel, we all are confronted with dangerous and exciting things in our lives. It is us who has to make the choice of taking the risk to follow it, chase it, or pass it up. Some who take the risk gets rewards, and some who pass it up save their life."

"How do you know though? How do you know if you should go or stay?" Ciel asked, leaning forward in his chair.

"How would anybody know?" Undertaker answered vaguely. "But, would you rather go on an adventure that may take you to the end of the road, or live life without any risks and die very old?"

"Well, I suppose anybody would take the getting old option."

"Ciel, there are two types of people in the world. The ones who take the risk, and those who sit back and let others take it."

"Uncle, which are you then?" Ciel curiously asked, but he knew the answer, or he thought he did.

"Neither, I just observe everybody else."

* * *

After Ciel had left the sky turned a rosy color. The sun was setting, and yet Ciel was hardly half way back to his house, where mother and father were waiting for him, probably worried and leaning over a dinner that was getting cold.

He had spent too much time at his Uncle's house. Losing track of time was the last thing he meant to do, but there was no way to help that now. The crunch of leaves under his feet were loud, and the small lantern Madam Red had pushed into his hands as he left was hardly any comfort.

It wasn't that he hated or feared the dark, it was that he knew he was not alone in the woods. Whether it be a bunny rabbit, a wolf, or a human, it felt unsafe.

Although Madam Red had begged him to stay over the night and leave early the next morning, Ciel had refused. He honestly didn't like his Uncle's house. It felt so weak to enemies, and all he wanted was to get home and into the arms of his parents, and think over the day's events.

There was no way he could tell either of his parents about seeing the man in the woods. How could he when he so desperately wanted the freedom. It could crumble down to the ground if he said anything. The slightest hint of danger would cost him his new found privileges of being able to come and go as he pleased, well, he wasn't there yet.

_Footsteps._

Yes, Ciel could hear his footsteps, but they were echoed, as if somebody was following him.

Ciel stopped where he was, but the noise kept going, creeping closer and closer. The leaves left no way for somebody to be completely quiet. He had briefly wondered if he was in danger, what should he do if he was in danger?

His shoulders tensed and his teeth chattered with the cold wind. The light in the lantern flicked as it swayed back and forth in his hand. From a few meters away, Ciel could make out a shadow of a tall man. As he squinted his eyes, he tried to look for something familiar, but the cloudy night made it nearly impossible.

Was it the man he met today?

"Ciel-"

A hand reached his shoulder.

"Ah!" Before Ciel could identify the man he hit him with the cane in his hands, but also dropped his only light source, and everything was thrown into darkness.

"Ah, shirt. What have you done?" The irritated voice was rather familiar...

"Bard-Bard is that you?" Ciel dropped down the ground to pick it up, but Bard had already beaten him, and had lighted it by the time Ciel had picked up his cane.

"Yea, it's bloody me. I came to apologize for my tone earlier but I guess I hurt your feelings more then I thought." Bard laughed, and Ciel rolled his eyes.

"Didn't hurt my feelings." He muttered, but seeing Bard was a huge relief.

"Didn't mean to sneak up on ya, my cigarette burnt out a little while ago, forgot to bring more. Normally I would have a lantern, but it's a bit taken right now."

"Did Madam Red send you?" Ciel knew the women did, she was always protective of him.

"'Course she did. The lady wanted to make sure you were returned home safely, without running into any, er, strangers." Bard rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Sorry again, guess I took it too far. I'm sure it was just some traveling salesman who got lost, maybe even a camper that choose the wrong route."

"You're probably right." He softly answered, but Ciel knew better. That man was no salesman or a camper. Whoever he was, he was certainly not so innocent.

"Let's get you home."

"I'm 12, not 2." Ciel elbowed Bard in a playful manner, but Bard only answered in a grunt.

"You were much easier as a kid, trust me. Now you're a rebellious teen." Bard teased, putting his hand on Ciel's shoulder.

"Oh, yes. I'll break all the rules, won't I?"

* * *

Thanks so much for reading!

I love the reviews. Big thanks to those who reviewed,

I would name them, but I am lazy.

Make sure to review, favorite, blah, blah, blah.

:3

_-The Redd Cloak_


	4. Entrance-The Man of Faustus

**Title: **Never Stray From the Path**  
**

**Rating: M **

**Pairings: **SebastianxCiel, ClaudexAlois, maybe others. **  
**

**Description: **Ciel was told never to stray from the past, but he is compelled to enter the forest and find out what had happened to the boy draped in the red cloak. What he finds is not only the truth, but a journey filled with loss, love, and his own 'wolves' that won't ever escape him.**  
**

**Warnings: **Swearing, OOCness**  
**

**Author's Note: **Sooo, I'm super late. Sorry, I had the flu and then I had a friend over so this chapter is a disappointment to me. I wanted to give you something though, so here it is. **Barely edited. **So, I will have to do that later. It's super short. SORRYYYY

Sorry for spelling and grammar mistakes. I have no beta. Noooo.

_I do not own Black Butler/characters, inspired by the game 'The Path'_

* * *

"You know, if you were to go in. There would be a way out, of the woods I mean."

Ciel just about spit out his tea and gaped at the Undertaker. Their mid-afternoon tea was a new found routine that Ciel took much pleasure in as the few weeks he had been taking the path have gone by. The Undertaker may be a strange man, but he did have some interesting things to say. Ciel was also curious in Alois, and the only one willing to talk about it was him. His father no longer answered his questions, because the only answer he could give was 'I have no idea'.

"A way out?" He questioned, dabbing a napkin on his sticky chin.

"Doesn't everything have a way out?" The Undertaker questioned, smirking before he went in to take another sip. "I believe there is a way, but not without a bit of...Work. I have heard things in my many years. You don't go into the death business without learning a couple of secrets"

"What work is that?" Ciel leaned his elbows on the table. He couldn't tell if the Undertaker was screwing around with him or not.

"They say that the only way one would get bitten, and be rightfully infected, where those whose hearts have sinned. The idea that you would turn into a beast is because of the wickedness in your heart." Ciel groaned, not anther monologue, what boring things.

"Yea, but I've also heard that the beast is a metaphorical image for a perverted man."

"Ah, but not always. The sin could be anything. Lust is just one of them. Any one of us would be infected if bitten, only those pure of heart are safe." The Undertaker innocently nibbled on a cookie.

"And this all connects together how?" Ciel questioned his odd Uncle. Surely the man had to have a point in all this babble.

"Ciel, have you ever heard the story of the Man of Faustus?" The Undertaker asked, almost whispering.

"I fear there's a lot of stories nobody has bothered to fill me in on."

"Well, guess that gives me the pleasure too."

* * *

_The man Faustus was a man of ice._

_A man by the name of Claude._

_He was no family man, or a good man of nature._

_The world was firmly in his grasp, the earth had allowed him to mold it._

_His woods the fortune and the people his sheep._

_Each day was better than the last._

_Claude soaked up every bit of good he could find._

_His eyes were gold as the sun._

_His aim as good as any other man._

_His words even more charming._

_But he was no fool._

_As a child he had been playful, but those games soon forgotten_

_The smell of money and misery had touched upon his heart,_

_And soon became the monster that only consumed and consumed._

_While hunting one day Claude came across a woman who enticed him._

_Her body was warm and delicate, tanned and so soft. He wanted a taste,_

_But the women wanted a bite._

_She had tricked him into coming too close, letting down his guard,_

_'Perhaps it's time you are what is inside of you soul.'_

_The payment for such a foolish choice was the mark of the beast._

_The sin he buried down from his conscious had come to light,_

_His sobs and screams raked the forest for days and days. His guilt had grown_

_But so has his appetite._

_No villager bothered to go help him, they all despised him._

_He was left to tend to himself and the monster that had been there all along,_

_Bursting forth to take over his entire being._

_The beast had a mind of its own. Stalking and preying on all the villagers,_

_He tore each one apart with his claws, drinking the blood._

_He painted the walls with their insides, and the beast took pleasure in it,_

_Claude had hated the beast, hated the choices it made, hated himself_

_No child or adult was safe, and one by one they all were hunted down and killed_

_A revenge that beast craved, and Claude couldn't control._

_Not only had Claude changed, but the woods too. The more blood spilled, the more it seemed to grow._

_The land seemed to spawn, and soon it was easy to get lost._

_Soon, it was like the woods had a mind of its own._

_Cursed, just like Claude, to be a living breathing monster with a mask of mysterious and beauty._

_The original trees began to decay as more time went on, new ones sprouted in its place._

_The few villagers had countless records of strange occurrences,_

_All made before the final destruction. Tales of strange noises, music,_

_Loud howling into the night, and even strangers showing up._

_The town had paid for the sins of one man._

_The silence that filled the area lasted for years until the town was once again taken_

_Yet Claude was never seen again._

* * *

"Why wasn't he seen again, Uncle?" Ciel asked, the story had slightly shaken him. "Was it Claude that Alois met? The same one?"

"Well, I suppose that the beast was satisfied his revenge was complete." The Undertaker leaned back in his chair. "And yes, I think it was the same one, but I don't know. Claude may have been dead by then, maybe had offspring. I think it was Claude though, but this time I wonder if it was Alois that..." The Undertaker trailed off, and shook his head. "Never mind."

"You think Claude didn't mean to be seen by Alois?" Ciel wanted to know what his Uncle was going to say.

"I think it was an accident what happened. I doubt a man plagued by guilt and a curious boy would mix well together anyways." He answered, drumming his fingers on the table.

"How do you know he still felt guilty?"

"What man wouldn't? He may be a terrible man, but no human being would come out unscathed. Otherwise, we'd all be dead I suppose if he took pleasure in it." It did make sense, Ciel supposed.

"So, what does this have to do with what you originally said?" Ciel suddenly snapped at his Uncle, irritated that he got him so off track from his original curiosity.

"Ah, you mean how it ties in to how you can bear the Faustus woods?" The Undertaker tapped his chin. "Perhaps I shouldn't tell you, no, that would ruin the surprise."

"Tell old man! Just tell me!" Ciel begged, the suspension was killing him.

"Alright, alright." He paused for a moment. "I will tell you, but you have to promise me something."

"Anything." Ciel responded quickly. He just had to know, because whether he liked it or not, Ciel was very interested in the woods. Each day he had to cross the path it was another reminder of what mystery it had, and it took more to convince himself to stay on the path.

"Promise me you won't do anything...*Stupid* with what I'm about to tell you, because I might be wrong. This is just a theory, not just from me, but from some old pals. You understand right, boy?"

"I promise." Ciel sighed, sinking back into the wooden chair. His back ached from how long he had been sitting there, but no matter.

"I believe there are many things wrong with the woods." The Undertaker started. "I think it's a test."

"A test?" Ciel questioned him. "What do you mean?"

"A test. A test to try your very character. If you're pass, then you may find your way out, but if you don't..." The Undertaker stopped, and it was obvious what would happen if you didn't.

"What kind of tests?"

"The kind that every person fears." He smiled, dramatically.

"So, Alois was tested?" Ciel asked.

"Yes, but I fear it was not him who had failed."

"Well, then who could have failed?" Ciel was becoming impatient with his weaseling uncle.

"Why, that's the question right? I'm afraid I don't really know the true answer." The Undertaker answered with a smirk, and Ciel huffed as he sat back in his seat, disappointed.

"Perhaps I should waltz right into the forest and take my chances." The Undertaker laughed at Ciel, and pulled a cigarette from a pack hidden in his clothes and smoke filled the air. "Take his bones from the earth and put him back together myself."

"Perhaps...Wouldn't that be a fine tale to tell?" Smoke smirked from his wicked grin. "The tale of the boy in blue, and his curious eyes. But my boy, whose bones would you dare look to find?"

"Why, the boy in red, Uncle. Surely you know what I'm getting at." Ciel was no dummy. "He never escapes me."

"Pfft, why would he escape? Trapped in hell like the rest of us. Even in death we can never part. He wishes to be put back together, sown like a rag doll. What hell it is to be stuck in purgatory."

"Purgatory." Ciel repeated, trying to imagine it, being stuck, like between a rock and a hard place.

"If I was him, I'd do anything to lure anybody in, to help me." The Undertaker briefly made eye contact. "But as you cans see, I am not him, nor am I a speaker for the dead."

* * *

The walk back turned out to be a bleak affair. The path descended into mist. It was nearly impossible to see 40 feet in front or in back. His Uncle had chuckled as he watched the boy begin his journey, but Ciel had not muttered a word of complaint. Actually, the break in the sunny weather was a blessing in disguise. It meant the potential for rain, and the town needed the water for the crops and animals.

It did make the path gloomy though. The trees seemed to darken and the leaves drooped, but no matter. Ciel still had to get home, despite what mother earth decided to throw at him.

But something seemed to make his hair stand on edge. Even though it was midday, and the sky was grey, it seemed even more threatening than nighttime did.

Ciel had caught glimpses of black in the corner of his eyes, and hoped it was his own paranoia that was the culprit of his growing uneasiness. Twigs would snap, birds would caw, and he ground crunched under his feet, and Ciel was alone. This time he knew Bard wouldn't follow him, because currently he was tending to his sick mother.

His trip had begun to drag on. Although he sped up in his stride, the path seemed to grow longer.

And the yelling begun.

The sound interrupted the silent atmosphere so abruptly Ciel had proceeded to cover his ears and drop the woven basket.

"Help me! God, help me. Somebody please come! Please! Help!" The voice babbled on, and it had sounded very similar.

It was Bard's voice.

But what had he been doing in the forest? Had he decided to suddenly come into work, only to find himself in peril? There was no way Ciel could leave the poor man, what if he was in trouble? Dying? Drenched in his own blood?

Ciel, grabbing his basket, took off in the direction he had just come from, searching for Bard. The path's fog made it very difficult for him to see, but it wouldn't stop Ciel from trying. The yells suddenly changed angels, as if getting farther and farther away, and Ciel finally knew where exactly the yells were coming from.

The forest.

Without any hesitation, Ciel broke into a run straight through the first rows of trees reaching toward the sky and frantically looked for his friend. He wouldn't go too far. He could still see the path and if he could see the path he was fine right? Right?

* * *

_Read the author's note please at the beginning of the chapter. :c_

_Hopefully next chapter is better!  
_

_This is not edited or anything, so I will fix it later.  
_


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